1998 Oldsmobile Intrigue Review

The word is out on Oldsmobile's fairly new Intrigue sedan. A runaway sales success, it is helping make once-faltering Olds a solid contender.

This slick mid-size sedan resembles the slinky looking, top-line Olds Aurora. It's a strong rival to the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and Nissan Maxima. And also to costlier foreign sedans.

The well-equipped base Intrigue has a $20,890 base price, while the top-line GL lists at $22,290. High-line foreign rivals such as the Lexus ES 300 cost an additional $10,000--or more.

No wonder the front-wheel-drive Intrigue, which debuted as an early 1998 model, is selling at a 120,000-unit annualized rate; that's impressive for a fairly new model in a tough auto market segment.

``The Intrigue is drawing many consumers for the first time to Olds, and a good number have owned foreign cars,'' said Olds chief spokesman Guz Buenz. Some people may not even be able to tell this is an Oldsmobile, as the Olds name only is put--nearly invisibly--on the right-rear taillight lens. Olds found in consumer clinics that some potential buyers didn't want the Olds name on the Intrigue. But this certainly is no car to be ashamed of.

A tip to make the Intrigue more ``Euro'': get the affordable $230 Autobahn option package, which allows crisper steering and handling with items such as high-performance tires.

The roomy Intrigue easily seats four tall adults in its quiet, well-designed interior, which has high-grade plastics. Even the center of the rear seat is soft enough to comfortably accommodate a fifth occupant on short trips.

But, while the front seats appear to offer good support during spirited driving through curves, they fail to do so. And the plastic climate controls feel cheap, although they work smoothly. Too bad the easily gripped inside door handles aren't chromed for a more uptown appearance.

The car has nice small touches, such as grab handles above the right-front and rear doors to allow easier exit and a dashboard-mounted ignition switch that eliminates groping for that switch on a steering column. The shifter even is angled toward the driver for easier operation.

However, the standard automatic climate control system sometimes left me wishing for a more responsive manual system. And, although the Intrigue has a welcome second power outlet under the dash, why is it put on the side of the center console away from the driver?

The lid of the long trunk pops up out of the way to prevent head-banging and has a hinge design that eliminates cargo-crushing hinges. But some may wish that the opening were larger and the trunk deeper.

The Intrigue has a veteran pushrod--not overhead camshaft--3.8-liter V-6. But the smooth engine generates 195 horsepower and plenty of torque for lively acceleration (0-60 m.p.h. in 8.1 seconds). The V-6 works with a four-speed automatic transmission that upshifts imperceptibly and downshifts fairly quickly.

Fuel economy is an estimated 19 m.p.g. in the city and an impressive 30 m.p.g. on highways.

The ``magnetic speed variable'' power steering is quick and offers decent road feedback, but has an artificially stiff feel. The car stops well, although its brake pedal is too firm and springy for easy modulation during quick stops.

The 3,455-pound Intrigue has the same rigid platform as the Pontiac Grand Prix and Buick Regal GS, which allows its all-independent suspension to provide sharp handling and a supple ride. The Autobahn package stiffens the ride a bit, but it remains comfortable.

With cars such as the Intrigue, Olds has a good shot at recapturing the high-sales status it enjoyed in the 1980s.